85' Substitution

Fulham saw a two-goal lead slip away as Sunderland fought back to draw 2-2 at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon.

Dimitar Berbatov’s penalty and Sascha Riether’s first goal for the Club set Fulham on their way, but Craig Gardner’s spot-kick reduced the deficit before half-time.

The home side pressed in the second period and found an equaliser through Stephane Sessegnon with 20 minutes of the match remaining.

The Black Cats looked more dangerous in the closing stages - although Fulham, too, had their chances - but it’s the home side who will be happier with the point.

Martin Jol named an unchanged side from the one that defeated Stoke City 1-0 seven days ago at Craven Cottage, with former Black Cat Kieran Richardson amongst the substitutes having recovered from injury.

The home side made a promising start and won a corner within the first minute. John O’Shea got on the end of Adam Johnson’s near-post delivery but his glanced header fell just short.

Ashkan Dejagah took a tumble in the area following a kick by Craig Gardner on quarter of an hour and, after hesitation, referee Mark Halsey pointed to the spot. Up stepped Berbatov to coolly pass into the bottom right-hand corner of the net but the home crowd were incensed after the referee seemed to initially have ruled no foul.

On 25 minutes, just moments after he’d saved a Steve Fletcher header, Mark Schwarzer pumped a long ball forwards which Dejagah read perfectly as it bounced over Gardner’s head. The winger was through but had his angles against him as he flashed an effort wide on his weaker left foot.

The lead was doubled on 34 minutes as Riether opened his account for the Whites. A Sunderland corner was headed clear by Berbatov to Dejagah who had space to run into. The Iran international galloped forward before playing in Bryan Ruiz down the right. He waited for Dejagah to overlap before finding his teammate once again. Dejagah’s cross-cum-shot was palmed away by Simon Mignolet straight into Riether’s path and the full-back, who had bust a gut to join the attack, tapped into an empty net.

The two-goal advantage was short-lived, though, as Sunderland were almost instantly awarded a penalty of their own. Philippe Senderos was adjudged to have pulled Danny Graham back in the box and Gardner stepped up to thump the ball into the back of the net from 12 yards.

The Stadium of Light was a cauldron of noise now and the crowd were vociferous once more on 43 minutes when Sessegnon’s fierce effort was chested out for a corner by Schwarzer.

Sunderland continued their pressure after the break and Graham should perhaps have done better when he poked straight at Schwarzer from 10 yards.

A magnificent crossfield pass from Riether on 56 minutes found Damien Duff in space down the left with no marker in sight. The Irishman played a ball in that Mignolet half-punched away in Berbatov’s direction but the striker was unable to get in a shot.

Alfred N’Diaye was beginning to boss the centre of the park after a quiet opening half and the powerful midfielder first went close with a rasping drive from distance before heading harmlessly over the bar minutes later. Jol looked to counter the threat of N’Diaye by introducing Emmanuel Frimpong for Giorgos Karagounis on 65 minutes.

Fulham were denied an exquisite third on 70 minutes and were punished seconds later when Sunderland went up the other end to equalise. Berbatov played a square ball to Ruiz on the edge of the area and continued his run, with the Costa Rican finding him with a lofted through ball. Berbatov’s volleyed effort was expertly blocked by Mignolet, which was the first moment of the move that led to Sunderland’s goal.

The Black Cats quickly moved the ball up the pitch and it fell to Sessegnon who confidently finished just inside the post to take his tally of goals against Fulham to two for the season.

A fine piece of skill from Berbatov on 76 minutes saw him evade two defenders to set himself through on goal. The subsequent shot was too close to Mignolet, though, who saved comfortably.

With Sunderland on top, Jol looked to inject some urgency into Fulham’s play with the introduction of Urby Emanuelson, who took the place of Duff. Hugo Rodallega then entered the action, with the highly impressive Dejagah the man withdrawn.

The Black Cats pressed for an elusive winner but it wasn't forthcoming as both sides were forced to settle for a point.